Inside the Footprint

Thinking about a move in Cape Coral?

Lee County is day-to-day territory. Here is how to start.

Direct representation

How a Cape Coral transaction actually runs

A fair number of Cape Coral purchases begin with somebody who is not in Florida yet. That works, but it works better with a plan behind it: walkthrough video that shows the electrical panel and the ceilings rather than the view, an inspection booked before you fly in rather than after, and a clear understanding of what I will and will not sign on your behalf. I represent you on the Florida side. If there is a property to sell where you live now, I can refer you there through The Keyes Company.

Where Florida transactions get complicated

Inspection findings are a negotiation with a deadline attached. The report is not a repair list and a seller is not obliged to accept it as one. What decides the outcome is how the request is framed, how quickly it goes back, and whether the important items have been separated from the cosmetic ones. Sending twelve items when three of them matter is the surest way to get nothing.

The parts people underestimate

Windstorm and flood are underwritten separately from the main policy across much of Florida. Price them on the specific address before you are under contract, not after.
For condominium buildings of three storeys or more at the relevant age, Florida requires milestone structural inspections and a structural integrity reserve study. Both change assessments and financeability. Read them before waiving anything.
The homestead exemption reduces taxable value on a Florida primary residence, and the Save Our Homes cap limits how fast the assessed value rises afterwards. Portability may carry a benefit from a prior Florida homestead. Your county property appraiser is the authority, not your agent.
Title in Florida is customarily handled through a title company rather than an attorney as a matter of course, which changes who you call when a question arises mid-contract.

Other cities in Florida

Questions people actually ask

What happens if work on the house was never permitted?

It surfaces, usually at the least convenient moment. Open or missing permits attach to the property rather than to the person who did the work, and they can hold up a closing, an insurance quote, or a sale years later. The city or county building department is the place to check, asking costs nothing, and the answer is far more useful while your contingency periods are still running.

What relationship will we have — are you my agent?

In Florida the presumption is a transaction broker relationship unless something else is agreed in writing, as Section 475.278, Florida Statutes contemplates. That carries a defined set of duties, including dealing honestly and fairly, skill and care, and limited confidentiality. I will tell you plainly and in writing which relationship applies before you rely on me, and none exists until it is agreed.

How long does a Florida closing usually take?

It depends on the financing far more than on the property. A cash purchase can run in weeks; a financed one is governed by the lender’s conditions and the appraisal. Where an association is involved, add time for approval and for the estoppel. I will give you a working calendar early and tell you which dates are firm and which are hopeful, because the gap between those two is where people get hurt.

Can I speak to other agents as well?

Of course, and you should. Nothing about a first conversation requires exclusivity, and no brokerage relationship exists until something is agreed in writing. If you interview three people and pick one of the others, that is a good process working properly. I would rather lose the work than have you commit to somebody because it felt awkward not to.

Why does everyone keep asking about the roof?

Because insurers price on it and some decline on it, and a lender who cannot see cover in place cannot close. Age, material and permit record all matter. On an older roof, get an insurance answer during the inspection period rather than after it — it changes what the property costs to own, which is a separate question from what it costs to buy.

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Jacob Campbell · Florida Real Estate Sales Associate, license 3623732 · The Keyes Company · 561.301.7130